Poll

Today's Sports

DENVER — All the pageantry was there. From Kenny Chesney’s “Boys of Fall” playing on the PA system, to the lively crowd at pre-game and the fireworks that welcomed the Mullen Mustangs and Columbine Rebels to the field, the Oct. 28 game at Brother Bernard Kinneavy de La Salle Stadium had all the elements of a big-time game.

It was, after all, the No. 1 team in 5A playing No. 3. Then Mullen kicked off.

PARKER — The Chatfield Chargers’ volleyball team saw its season come to an end on Oct. 30 at Chaparral High School as the Chargers were unable to advance past the semifinal around, losing to Chaparral in straight sets 25-20, 25-15, 25-16, in the 5A District 5 tournament.

Chaparral was a tough matchup for the Chargers as the Wolverines came into the tournament ranked No. 2 in the state and had five girls listed at 6 foot or taller. But that didn’t stop the Chargers from putting in their best effort, according to their coach.

BOULDER — Chatfield, truthfully, had nothing to lose. The 30th-seeded Chargers were seen as a heavy underdog to host Boulder at Recht Field on Oct. 27 in the first round of the 5A state boys soccer playoffs. And as things turned out that proved to be the case.

Eight different players scored for Boulder, which scored three goals in its first four shots during a span of 4 minutes, 2 seconds midway through the first half, en route to a convincing 8-1 victory. The loss ended Chatfield’s season with a 6-6-3 mark.

Cox, aided by victories on both the uneven bars and vault, won with a score of 37.175. She edged out Bear Creek’s Dani Thenell, who scored a 37.075, for the title. Cox won the uneven bars with a score of 9.65 and the vault with a 9.35 score.

Host Bear Creek won the team title with a 177.175 total. Chatfield came in sixth with 165.275 and Columbine was eighth in 151.35.

THORNTON — Lexi Cox couldn’t hide her disappointment. The Columbine junior knew that it was within reach.

She had every reason to believe a 5A state gymnastics all-around title was there for the taking. After all she was coming off a regional title a week before. And Cox put herself in position to give Columbine its first all-around champion in school history after the early afternoon session on Nov. 5 at Thornton High School. But a lower-than-average balance beam performance and an unfortunate fall off the uneven bars wiped out her chances.

LAKEWOOD — Fifth-seeded Columbine entered its first-round 5A state playoff game with 28th-seeded Mountain Vista on Nov. 5 at Jefferson County Stadium without its leading rusher in junior running back Cameron McDondle because of a back injury.

But the Rebels overcame McDondle’s absence and an early 7-0 deficit to defeat Mountain Vista, 28-14, and advance to the second round of the playoffs thanks to two touchdowns from senior running back Jonathan Beverly.

ARVADA — Head coach Ron Woitalwicz wanted to get quarterback Bolton Howes a few carries in the second half, but he was only able to get him two. That’s because Howes took both runs all the way to the end zone to invoke the mercy rule in the Eagles’ 49-13 rout of Standley Lake on Nov. 5 at the North Area Athletic Complex.

Stephanie Lillo will defer the credit to Tarah Sponenberg, Chatfield’s junior varsity head coach and assistant varsity coach. But make no bones about it, the Chargers senior certainly was in a rhythm with her service game.

Lillo was serving when Chatfield ran off 10 straight points in the second set and again in the third during a 7-0 run as the visiting Chargers posted a 25-18, 25-17, 25-17 win over host Columbine on Oct. 21.